Super Confused in Fuel needed for 2024 Land Cruiser.

RTRinKY

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Jun 20, 2024
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Toyota 4Runner
Read where the gas opening says premium only yet I’ve also read this is preferred not required. Any definitive answer?
Thanks
 
I've run regular unleaded 87 in our Acura MDX with negligible difference in mileage or performance and it says the same thing as the LC with Premium fuel only. Waiting on our LC to arrive at dealer and plan to test it once I'm past the initial break in period. Modern engines can adjust the timing. Think about when traveling to different altitudes and lower octane fuel is offered. Modern engines need to be able to operate under different conditions and adapt to different environments. Premium is what the MPG and optimal performance numbers for torque and HP are based on. Should be okay to run regular as the Tacoma with the same engine runs on 87 but it won't be operating at its peak/optimal performance.
 
I've run regular unleaded 87 in our Acura MDX with negligible difference in mileage or performance and it says the same thing as the LC with Premium fuel only. Waiting on our LC to arrive at dealer and plan to test it once I'm past the initial break in period. Modern engines can adjust the timing. Think about when traveling to different altitudes and lower octane fuel is offered. Modern engines need to be able to operate under different conditions and adapt to different environments. Premium is what the MPG and optimal performance numbers for torque and HP are based on. Should be okay to run regular as the Tacoma with the same engine runs on 87 but it won't be operating at its peak/optimal performance.
Thanks for the thoughtful post.
 
Great article Jambo. Yep, premium gas has no more energy than regular. Higher octane numbers just means that the combustion process of the air/fuel mixture takes place a little slower (we're talking fractions of a second). Slowing down combustion is necessary in high compression engines in order to prevent detonation. Even a little detonation can severly damage the pistons. Like you, I would never buy a used turbocharged car.
 
If the manual calls for 91 Octane feed it 91 Octane. I don’t see what is so difficult to understand about this for some people. Particularly given that this is a turbocharged gasoline engine, and it’s static compression ratio before boost is already fairly healthy.

I love all the posts about experience with other cars that call for premium but run fine on regular, and the poster cites their insert naturally aspirated engine equipped vehicle as proof. Or cites lower octane is OK at higher altitudes etc. These people clearly have no idea what turbochargers are, how they work, or what they accomplish. Frankly it’s a disservice selling only a turbocharged engine in a mass market vehicle because some owners are just not bright enough to follow the fuel recommendation in the damn manual or handily emblazoned on the gas cap or filler door.

If you can’t afford to spend a few extra dollars putting 91 or 93 octane in the tank you can’t afford the vehicle. Go buy something within your budget.
 
If the manual calls for 91 Octane feed it 91 Octane. I don’t see what is so difficult to understand about this for some people. Particularly given that this is a turbocharged gasoline engine, and it’s static compression ratio before boost is already fairly healthy.

I love all the posts about experience with other cars that call for premium but run fine on regular, and the poster cites their insert naturally aspirated engine equipped vehicle as proof. Or cites lower octane is OK at higher altitudes etc. These people clearly have no idea what turbochargers are, how they work, or what they accomplish. Frankly it’s a disservice selling only a turbocharged engine in a mass market vehicle because some owners are just not bright enough to follow the fuel recommendation in the damn manual or handily emblazoned on the gas cap or filler door.

If you can’t afford to spend a few extra dollars putting 91 or 93 octane in the tank you can’t afford the vehicle. Go buy something within your budget.
I think where people are having a difficult time is reconciling why the 4Runner and Tacoma with exact same engines don not require premium, yet the LC does.
 
Read where the gas opening says premium only yet I’ve also read this is preferred not required. Any definitive answer?
Thanks
Not sure about all the confusion? The manufacturer states on the gas door and in the manual "premium fuel only", not premium fuel if want, or on certain days or if you want to......all this debate is mind boggling actually. If you want to risk your $$$ and potenial no drive train warranty by all means put in what you will.
 
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If the manual calls for 91 Octane feed it 91 Octane. I don’t see what is so difficult to understand about this for some people. Particularly given that this is a turbocharged gasoline engine, and it’s static compression ratio before boost is already fairly healthy.

I love all the posts about experience with other cars that call for premium but run fine on regular, and the poster cites their insert naturally aspirated engine equipped vehicle as proof. Or cites lower octane is OK at higher altitudes etc. These people clearly have no idea what turbochargers are, how they work, or what they accomplish. Frankly it’s a disservice selling only a turbocharged engine in a mass market vehicle because some owners are just not bright enough to follow the fuel recommendation in the damn manual or handily emblazoned on the gas cap or filler door.

If you can’t afford to spend a few extra dollars putting 91 or 93 octane in the tank you can’t afford the vehicle. Go buy something within your budget.
And it has been written, hear ye hear ye........finally a person after my own heart. I dont get it, i just dont get it. Toyota is not asking you to use Premium fuel cause they want you to spend more money on fuel...they are saying so cause it is so.
"I don't like the oil requirement for my car so i am going to use the cheaper stuff, after all it is still oil ain't it?
 
Other than more impressive performance numbers, someone who is certain about the premium fuel requirement explain in detail the difference between the Tacoma and 4 Runner turbo charged engines and the Land Cruiser with the identical engine and why it’s required to run premium in one and not the other. I’m asking for specifics in design of the engine. I genuinely want to know why premium is recommended in one and not the other. The argument that a turbo charged engine requires premium is out the door since the same engine is recommended to run on 87 octane by Toyota.

By the way, I’m planning on running premium fuel. I want the better performance. I just don’t understand why Toyota recommends one octane over another in the same engine other than for performance numbers.
 
Other than more impressive performance numbers, someone who is certain about the premium fuel requirement explain in detail the difference between the Tacoma and 4 Runner turbo charged engines and the Land Cruiser with the identical engine and why it’s required to run premium in one and not the other. I’m asking for specifics in design of the engine. I genuinely want to know why premium is recommended in one and not the other. The argument that a turbo charged engine requires premium is out the door since the same engine is recommended to run on 87 octane by Toyota.
Thank you for reiterating for the “you’re too poor and dumb crowd” why so many people are wondering about this question!
 
What baffles me is why people want to bash those that don't completely agree with them!

Below is a quote from "Car and Driver" when they did a Hi vs Lower octane test.......

"Your car doesn't know the octane rating of the fuel in its tank. Instead, the engine controller calculates an inferred octane with closed-loop logic that continuously advances the ignition timing until it detects knock, which occurs when a portion of the fuel-air mixture ignites before the spark-plug-initiated flame front reaches it. The further the computer can advance the timing without provoking knock, the higher the octane rating.

During knock, the flame front travels through the combustion chamber up to 10 times quicker than the normal spark-initiated flame front. Left unchecked, these pressure waves can damage the head gasket, pistons, or cylinder head. But the occasional brief knock is a useful tool for checking that the engine is operating efficiently. It's detected with one or more knock sensors bolted to the block to sense the oscillations created by the pressure waves with a typical frequency between 7 and 16 kilohertz. Stephen Russ, senior technical leader for gas engines at Ford, says this normal knock is usually detected and addressed within one or two combustion cycles and poses no threat to the engine. —ET"
 
Thank you for reiterating for the “you’re too poor and dumb crowd” why so many people are wondering about this question!

“If you can afford the truck then you can afford to not ask questions!”
 
"If you can’t afford to spend a few extra dollars putting 91 or 93 octane in the tank you can’t afford the vehicle. Go buy something within your budget."

“If you can afford the truck then you can afford to not ask questions!”

When you start paying me to do as you say, I'll consider it..... until then get off your high horse!

It's my money and I'll spend it as "I" see fit!
 
Would love for a Toyota engineer/technician to speak up on the differences between the vehicles in question with the identical engines and how they are set up differently between the vehicles. Clearly there are differences but they aren’t apparent other than performance related.
 
I think where people are having a difficult time is reconciling why the 4Runner and Tacoma with exact same engines don not require premium, yet the LC does.

I hate to be a pain in the ass, but if an engine burns gasoline and has a 11.0:1 compression ratio, and is also turbocharged on top of that you should feed it 91 Octane or 93 Octane. I don’t care if the owners manual claims 87 Octane is OK, or that the ECU can retard timing or signal the electronically controlled waste gate to bleed off hot gasses to limit positive manifold pressure. Detonation or knock can cause damage more quickly than a lot of people think, so why risk it? Plus you’re paying for 326HP and 465ft-lbs, buy fuel that will achieve that under all temperatures and load conditions.
 
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